My current research looks at the Scandinavian television crime drama The Bridge (Danish: Broen; Swedish: Bron): created and written by Hans Rosenfeldt (SVT/DR 2011- 2018). Starring Sofia Helin, as Swedish detective Saga Norén, the lead character works in Malmo, but is linked professionally with her Danish counterparts in Copenhagen.The bridge in question is Øbresund Bridge, connecting the two cities, it opened in July 2000 and, as such, is a symbol of the duality of 21st Century Scandinavian identity.
"Superficially The Bridge conforms to Curran and Seaton’s (1981; 2003) view that texts produced outside of the traditional commercial milieu offer more diversity for audiences. And certainly, in the depiction of Saga Norén, Hans Rosenfeldt has created a less singular depiction of a female protagonist, drawing upon conventions established by The Killing’s Sarah Lund (DR1 2007 to 2012) and Libeth Salander in the various incarnations of Stieg Larrson’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2005, 2009, 2011). While this reinforces David Gauntlett’s ideas about diverse representations in contemporary media text, the way in which The Bridge is consumed by different audiences, across different territories, suggests a more nuanced relationship between producer and consumer, and the creation of meanings that are fluid. In Scandinavia The Bridge, is seen as a very mainstream proposition, while the demographics of its English speaking audience are more metropolitan and elite. This research focuses on the perspective of such UK nationals. Building on the work of Stougaard Nielsen (2016), Waade (2016), Creeber (2015) and Alexi (2017), I will explore the way in which audiences identify with Nordic Noir and The Bridge as a way of mediating and resolving complex discourses on gender and class, race and disability, politics and the economics of social welfare. It will be suggested that, while the influence of Scandinavian culture on the UK can be framed as an idealistic touristic projection, the appeal of Nordic Noir is more complicated. On the surface it embodies positional cultural consumption and middle class privilege; however, it is also invokes deep seated anxiety about dark undercurrents in UK politics."
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